What did Vegeta mean by his last words to Goku on Namek?

[Badman Vegeta]

Hi, everyone! I am struggling with the meaning of Vegeta's iconic quote, which part of is (ironically, yet unintentionally) in my signature:

We worked so hard for him. We did everything he asked of us and more. He took me from my father when I was just a little boy. He made me do whatever he wanted and said he would kill my father if I didn't. I did everything he asked but he killed him anyway along with everyone else. He was scared of us. Scared that a Super Saiyan would be born to rise up and overthrow him... Kakarot, please. Destroy Frieza. He made me what I am. Don't let him do it to anyone else.

--Vegeta
(taken from Dragon Ball Wiki, source is from the original DBZ anime)

I originally took this to be a sincere confession of a shell of a man dying at the hands of an abuser. In other words, the "he made me what I am" part I took to mean that he literally would not have been so evil if it were not for Frieza's evil influence. I was so moved by this scene and Vegeta's vulnerability, I (clearly) had to put his quote in my signature.

At the same time, I have seen others argue that Frieza actually had no impact on the man he was, since he is a Saiyan and Saiyans are naturally inclined to aggression.

I am not satisfied with that interpretation. I believe that he had to have been sincere. There had to have been some change in Vegeta's character or motivations due to Frieza that incites such regret in him. Even so, I understand the point that Vegeta's a Saiyan, so his genes could be part of it. But his tears tell me something else, and I don't know what.

What do you guys think?

[TrunksTrevelyan0064]

Unfortunately, the English dub(s) and the Wiki are not the most credible sources of information when it comes to Dragon Ball. The good news is that we do have places like this (Kanzenshuu) that document everything as accurately as possible.

For what it's worth, here is Kanzenshuu's translated dialogue from the original manga chapter:

“K-Kakarrot… You’re still saying such damned naive things… You’re not a Super Saiyan… You stupid ass…! Become heartless…! If you get rid of your naiveté… you should definitely become… a Super Saiyan…! L-listen up, Kakarrot… The planet you and I were born on… When Planet Vegeta was destroyed… It wasn’t because of a collision with a giant meteor… Freeza attacked it…! Even though we had worked under him and obeyed his every command… He killed everyone except us… Your parents, my father, the king… He was afraid that a Super Saiyan might be born… I’m begging you, defeat Freeza… With a Saiyan’s hand…”

So you see there's not really any mention of "He made me what I am, don't let him do it to anyone else." In their dub, FUNimation often tried to make characters more heroic/selfless than they are in Toriyama's original work. I'm not sure that Vegeta was sad about what happened - he has little to no compassion for others at this point - he's mainly furious about being used like trash, that he had to live his life on Freeza's terms rather than his own (remember he is prideful). That's pretty much what he tells Dodoria before killing him.

[zarmack]

snip

The "Freeza made me what I am" stuff was nowhere in the original Japanese version of Z, the manga nor any language version of Kai. Funimation added that in (and other dub lines) to make all the (anti)heroes more purely heroic and sympathetic than they were originally shown in the Japanese original.

Also, Kid Vegeta was already shown to be a violent individual before Planet Vegeta was blown up. U7 Saiyans as a group were naturally evil and aggressive long before Freeza came along.

[Badman Vegeta]

Well, that is definitely useful and important information. Alas, I am devastated to hear it. I loved that the English dub added that sympathetic element to his character. I am not sure how to take it, now.

...So, I took to reading my personal English translation of the manga (specifically, the full color of the Freeza Arc, vol. 4). And of course, it is similar to the previously mentioned original manga translation from Kanzenshuu. It must be noted, though that it offers something unique that works with the Kazenshuu translation. Compare this:



To this:

For what it's worth, here is Kanzenshuu's translated dialogue from the original manga chapter:

“K-Kakarrot… You’re still saying such damned naive things… You’re not a Super Saiyan… You stupid ass…! Become heartless…! If you get rid of your naiveté… you should definitely become… a Super Saiyan…! L-listen up, Kakarrot… The planet you and I were born on… When Planet Vegeta was destroyed… It wasn’t because of a collision with a giant meteor… Freeza attacked it…! Even though we had worked under him and obeyed his every command… He killed everyone except us… Your parents, my father, the king… He was afraid that a Super Saiyan might be born… I’m begging you, defeat Freeza… With a Saiyan’s hand…”

I circled in the above image a quote unique to my copy of the manga that supports both of what you guys are saying, irregardless of the difference in translation. Vegeta says in the full color translation:

We Saiyans... Were his hands... His muscles.

This alone indicates that Vegeta is angry that he is being forced to do something he did not want to do--that he wishes he had been free. It compliments both of your guys's ideas:

I'm not sure that Vegeta was sad about what happened - he has little to no compassion for others at this point - he's mainly furious about being used like trash, that he had to live his life on Freeza's terms rather than his own (remember he is prideful). That's pretty much what he tells Dodoria before killing him.

Also, Kid Vegeta was already shown to be a violent individual before Planet Vegeta was blown up. U7 Saiyans as a group were naturally evil and aggressive long before Freeza came along.

Which, of course, generally supports the original concept that Vegeta might have been aggressive whether or not Frieza was in the picture. So, based on inherent similarities between the different manga translations, it is evident that the anime runs on a different script. I am going to have to learn to appreciate both versions of Vegeta's character, reading both scripts with the same merit and appreciation they deserve. Thanks for enlightening me with that manga translation, guys!

[TrunksTrevelyan0064]

It is evident that the anime runs on a different script.

The original Japanese script is not necessarily different between manga and anime (though the anime does add things here and there to pad out episodes). If you check out the anime scene in Japanese, you'll find that the dialogue matches up to the manga for the most part. It's just that dubs didn't always stick to that original script (I believe FUNimation didn't even have access to it and referred to the Mexican dub instead - I could be wrong on this) and sometimes made stuff up to "spice things up" or because they were afraid the original characterizations wouldn't gel wel with their target audience - sometimes even to the point of making characters say the opposite of what they actually say in the source material, I guess to make them into "role models".

So while that can be a heavy blow to deal with if you are attached to a dub like that (as I once was!), fortunately, the original material is really quite wonderful and perfectly enjoyable. Personally, I now see my once-preferred-dub as an ex-lover, like "I remember the happy times with you, but sorry, I can't love you anymore." I'm not sad about it though, because I've come to terms with it and "settled down" with a version that doesn't pretend to be something it's not; a version I can genuinely stay happily "married" to for the rest of my life.

(I'm not saying you HAVE to switch to the original version - that is completely up to you and you alone, and you are totally free to enjoy whatever you choose to enjoy. I'm only giving my own perspective on the matter.)

[Hulk10]

The kai dub is more faithful to the manga.